Cricket Australia name three Indian players in their WTC XI

Cricket Australia has announced has announced the World Test Championship (WTC) XI for the 2021-23 cycle. The board has included three Indian players in the line-up, while three players are from Australia itself.

The openers in the XI are Usman Khawaja and Dimuth Karunaratne. Khwaja mustered 1,608 runs in 16 matches at 69.91 with six centuries after returning to the side in early 2022. Meanwhile, Karunaratne has accumulated 1,054 runs in 12 matches at 47.90.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam occupies the No. 3 spot, having compiled 1,527 runs in 14 Tests, headlined by his best knock of 196 against Australia last year to save the Test.

Former England skipper Joe Root follows at number four, having played more matches than any player. With 1,915 runs, the elegant right-hander is also the highest run-getter in the cycle, with eight centuries.

Australia's Travis Head follows at number five, having had a swashbuckling last 24 months. The southpaw has smashed 1,208 runs in 17 matches at 52.52 with three hundreds. The panel has picked Ravindra Jadeja at number six, averaging 37.38 with the bat and 23.23 with the ball in 12 games. The left-arm spinner took 43 scalps to help India secure a series win over the Aussies earlier this year.

Rishabh Pant was the standout keeper-batter in the cycle, hammering 868 runs in 12 matches at 43.40 alongside a strike rate of 80.81. A serious car accident in December 2022 made him unavailable for the WTC final.

Ravichandran Ashwin is the second spinner in the line-up and pips Nathan Lyon due to his superior strike rate and average. The off-spinner has picked up 61 scalps in 13 matches at 19.67 and played a significant role in the series win over the Aussies.

Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins follows at number eight, claiming 53 victims in 15 Tests with three fifers. Cummins' fifer in the series-sealing Test in Lahore was most impressive as it came on a batting-friendly track.

South Africa's Kagiso Rabada takes the 10th spot for his 67 wickets in 13 matches at an impressive average of 21.05.

England prodigy James Anderson has continued to defy his age, improving himself vastly even in batting-friendly conditions, evident by his performance in Pakistan. The 40-year-old finished with 58 scalps in 15 matches at 20.37 at a supreme economy of 2.27.

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Cricket Australia's WTC XI:

Cricket Australia's WTC XI: Usman Khawaja, Dimuth Karunaratne, Babar Azam, Joe Root, Travis Head, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pat Cummins (c), James Anderson, Kagiso Rabada.